Myself and three other mates are doing the 105 for the first time, not sure what to expect though. I rode Bobbin Head/ Berowra on Sunday 67k from Hornsby and did it easy - 900mtrs climbing. Does anyone have any advice for the ride, do many people take off early and blow up at the end? I dont want to get on the back of a pack for it to only slow up with 20-30k to go!

The pack will mostly stay together until Pierces Creek which is the first real hill (1.15km 9.04%) and then start spreading out more as you go through the other mostly rolling hills toward Tidbinbilla (about 25km into the ride, or just under halfway of the "out" lap).

Below is a link to the distances and gradients of the main hills in Fitz's Challenge ride

For the 105km ride you will do Pierces Creek on the way out and then Mt McDonald and Three Sisters on way back.For the 165km Fitz's you will add Fitz's hill to thatFor the 205km ride you add Honeysuckle Creek and Corin (only go to the Corin Forest not all the way to dam)For the 255km ride you add Orroral (not on the list), Corin Dam (damn!) and also out to the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station

Quite a group of us are coming down to do the 165km on Sunday. I'm certain it will be a sufferefest but am looking forward to the challenge. Living in the Snowies I've managed to do quite a few hilly century rides. Haven't ever ridden that distance before though - best this year to date has been 110kms. Am used to riding in the horrible headwinds though but the forecast at this stage is looking great - Sunny and light winds fingers crossed it stays that way!

Just got home from my first Fitz's. Did the 105 km and had a good time. It started off slow due to the crowds and I started making my way through the pack after the Stromlo observatory turn-off. There looked to be a crash just before Cotter crossing but everyone was off the road by the time I came past. I rode conservatively on the way out to Tharwa, staying with one group and had a short break before upping the pace on the return leg. I jumped ahead from group to group and settled with one group that had a good pace but left them about 2/3 way to Cotter reserve. Mostly rode solo from then on until the end. Three Sisters was brutal after the extra effort I'd put in, but only got over-taken by 4 riders in the last section so I was pretty satisfied with my ride. I clocked a riding time of 3:52 but due to mucking around at Tharwa got a total time of 4:01 (wish I'd left 2 minutes earlier ) according to Strava - will wait to see what official time I get.

I did the 255 km. I found it to be a strange contrast with the Audax Alpine Classic Extreme. I averaged the same speed (total distance/total time - no "rolling average" malarkey) for Fitz's Extreme as for the ACE. In the ACE I was slightly faster than the average of all entrants but in Fitz's, I was among the tailenders.

Nobody younger than <del>27</del> 28 has experienced a month cooler than the 20th century average.

Did the 255 extreme. They shut the last check point just as I got there. Doh. As a result I DNF'ed. I still had an hour up my sleeve when I got there but they said no. Any way Strava reckons I rode for 12hrs and 4mins, covered 244km and climbed nearly 5400m. As such I am a now a complete wreck.

ausrandoman wrote:I did the 255 km. I found it to be a strange contrast with the Audax Alpine Classic Extreme. I averaged the same speed (total distance/total time - no "rolling average" malarkey) for Fitz's Extreme as for the ACE. In the ACE I was slightly faster than the average of all entrants but in Fitz's, I was among the tailenders.

I have to say there was quite a few racing snakes there today who were really smashing it.

singlespeedscott wrote:Did the 255 extreme. They shut the last check point just as I got there. Doh. As a result I DNF'ed. I still had an hour up my sleeve when I got there but they said no. Any way Strava reckons I rode for 12hrs and 4mins, covered 244km and climbed nearly 5400m. As such I am a now a complete wreck.

How was the organisation for the event. I stopped riding it a couple of years ago due to being so puss poor. I found that if you were not in the first third you got no water or food at any of the check point.

singlespeedscott wrote:Did the 255 extreme. They shut the last check point just as I got there. Doh. As a result I DNF'ed. I still had an hour up my sleeve when I got there but they said no. Any way Strava reckons I rode for 12hrs and 4mins, covered 244km and climbed nearly 5400m. As such I am a now a complete wreck.

How was the organisation for the event. I stopped riding it a couple of years ago due to being so puss poor. I found that if you were not in the first third you got no water or food at any of the check point.

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I was near the back of the pack but I found ample food & water at every checkpoint. The catering was much better than last time I did it, two years ago.

Nobody younger than <del>27</del> 28 has experienced a month cooler than the 20th century average.

I Actually have to say it was probably the best organized event I have done. I was the last through most of the check points after Corin Dam and there was heaps of water, muffins, cake and lollies left over.

Finished 255km at 4:10ish. Total saddle time 9:24. Av spd 27.3. That is by far and away the hardest thing I have ever done.

I rode with the lead pack to Rendezvous all the time with niggling aches in my knees. Then, 5km from Rendezvous I punctured and had to chase the group rather than ride alone as I was in no mans land between the group travelling at my pace and the rest of the field. Caught some at Orroral and only about 600m behind leaders. The rest of the way was nursing my knees and struggling through. The gear ratio was about right for a fast average, but not for a slow grind. Coming down Corin to the damn dam wall, I was unable to pedal due to pain. This was my hit the wall moment. At the checkpoint, I ate half a watermelon and walked around for a bit. While there, a teammate who had hit the wall on Honeysuckle joined me and we rode the rest together. I had to stop at every checkpoint just to give my knees some respite. We ended up 8th on the road if my calculations are correct. Great event. Would I do it again? Ask me in a month.

I did the 205km Epic yesterday...was punished through inexperience on the climbs...a 39t-28t combo are fine for anything around Sydney...but try a continuous 14-16% on them!! I walked some short stints on the climbs and then was finally claimed by some sort of stomach bug at the 40km to go mark...combine that with punctures and a broken left cleat...made it to the last river crossing...one climb and 13kms to go...I was just done.

The event organisation and support was outstanding...I highly recommend these rides.

At this stage Im not feeling keen to do it again but no doubt once I recover and roll the legs over again...will be keen for next year.

Agree with the sentiments, the organisation of Fitz's is fantastic. Nice to have a chat with the cheery checkpoint chaps and chapesses to break up the ride.

My first time to Canberra. Did the 255. All that sharp climbing and undulating was brutal. Kept asking myself "what am I doing this for again?" The sense of achievement at the end and the steak sandwich is worth it though! Next year - yesterday's answer was NO, today's is maybe

Nice work ausrandoman I had never ridden 250km before and didn't know how I would hold up. I've only done more than 100km once in the last 3 months.Managed to stay with what became a regrouped front bunch up to Fitz's on the way out but was too far back to have an easy ride up. There were a couple of front guys who looked like they wanted to fly so I just tapped away at my own pace. It may have been a mistake but I'll never know.Every time the road went up I went backwards, when it went down I caught other riders and on the flats and rollers I seemed to have a few guys sitting in behind me, until there was a proper hill again.I was aiming at under 11 hours which was managed very comfortably and at the finish my feet were very sore and had twinges in the thighs but felt I could have gone longer... but how much really???? I didn't eat from any of the stops other than 4 snakes (ate 5 power bars which I carried), took 2 bottles of water and refilled and drank 3 more (with powder which I carried). I don't like stopping for long as I seize up very quickly.It probably would have been smarter to have carried less weight and eaten what was supllied but I'm used to being self sufficient and don't want to get to a feed and find nothing left.